Archive -
10 - 2007

October 31, 2007 (Newswise) High-blood-pressure patients treated for enlarged heart (left ventricular hypertrophy, LVH) who have regression or prevention of LVH may also have a better chance of preventing diabetes. Led by physician-scientists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, the research is published in the November Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association (AHA).An estimated 20 percent of all high-blood-pressure patients, or 12 million Americans, have LVH and are at increased risk of developing diabetes.The study reports a 38-percent reduced risk of developing diabetes for high-blood-pressure patients who demonstrated regression of LVH during treatment for high blood pressure, with a 26-percent reduced risk after adjusting for other risk factors for diabetes. The reduction in risk of diabetes was independent of treatment type and of the degree of blood pressure change in this population."A healthy heart is a prerequisite for the health of the body as a whole. Our previous research has shown that treating enlarged heart in high-blood-pressure patients reduces the risk for a variety of cardiovascular conditions. This new study finds an important new benefit -- namely a better chance of avoiding diabetes among patients who exhibit a reduction of their hypertrophy during treatment," says the study's principal investigator, Dr. Peter Okin, director of clinical affairs and professor of medicine in the Greenberg Division of Cardiology at Weill Cornell Medical College and attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.An editorial about the study in the journal notes that "the study by Okin et al extends our knowledge and understanding of the importance of LVH reversal by showing the beneficial metabolic effects of treatment-induced regression of LVH in a large series of patients with hypertensive heart disease."Unfortunately, for high-blood-pressure patients who already have diabetes, high blood pressure treatment is less effective at reducing their LVH compared to patients without diabetes. In addition, regression of LVH in hypertensive patients with diabetes does not appear to be associated with a reduction in cardiovascular events, according to a 2006 study by Dr. Okin and colleagues, making prevention of diabetes in patients with hypertension an important goal.The study used data from the Losartan Intervention for Endpoint Reduction in Hypertension (LIFE) study conducted between 1995 and 2001. In the blinded study, patients received daily 50 mg doses of either losartan or atenolol.Co-authors of the current study included Drs. Richard B. Devereux of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and Weill Cornell Medical College, and physician-scientists from Merck Research Laboratories (Upper Gwynedd, Pa.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital/stra (Sweden), Ullevl University Hospital (Norway) and Ume University (Sweden).The study was supported in part by a grant from Merck & Co. Inc., West Point, Pa.

A Proclamation By the President of the United States of America October 31, 2007 (The White House) - Diabetes is a debilitating disease that affects millions of Americans of all ages and all walks of life. National Diabetes Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about risk factors, prevention, and treatment of this serious disease. Diabetes is a chronic illness that leaves the body unable to produce or properly use insulin to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. The two most common forms of the disease that affect our citizens are Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children and young adults who are unable to produce insulin and require daily medication. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, is often attributed to lifestyle risk factors and can be controlled by a modified diet, regular physical activity, and medication. Americans can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease by maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits, and consulting with a doctor about diabetes testing. My Administration is committed to providing better care for people living with diabetes and furthering efforts to find a cure. We have supported research initiatives and education programs that encourage healthy living, and we have also modified Medicare coverage to include diabetes screenings. This year, the National Institutes of Health estimates that more than $1 billion will be spent on diabetes research. By working together, we can help identify problems early, manage them before they grow worse, and help ensure more Americans live longer, healthier lives. Throughout National Diabetes Month, we recognize the medical professionals, scientists, researchers, and all those whose efforts have made a positive difference in the fight against diabetes. By raising public awareness, we can help combat the effects of diabetes in our society and bring hope to children and families living with this disease. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2007 as National Diabetes Month. I call upon all Americans to learn more about the risk factors and symptoms associated with diabetes and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second. GEORGE W. BUSH